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A Willie Scorned

AG/DC Jun 19 2008 07:57 AM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Jun 19 2008 08:17 AM

So, how much do you make of Willie's post-firing comments? I think I'd feel similarly to him --- betrayed? yup; disappointed that I didn't get to give a valedictory to the team? sure. But I've also been fired and I know the way things go. There's almost no good way to do it. But there are also some ways that are worse than others. This I know first hand. Report: Randolph feeling betrayed by Manuel by BART HUBBUCH and JOEL SHERMAN, New York Post Updated: June 19, 2008, 7:09 AM EST Jerry Manuel's job as bench coach was to advise Willie Randolph, to give the Mets manager counsel on how to handle everything from game strategy to clubhouse politics. However, friends of Randolph's told The Post that the now former manager had grown to believe Manuel actually might have been doing the opposite of helping him by undermining him to upper management. It is a charge Manuel denied late yesterday afternoon. Randolph had spotted Manuel having a lengthy conversation on the field at Shea Stadium last week with Mets VP of player development Tony Bernazard, a known Randolph detractor. Randolph grew concerned Manuel was serving as a mole to the front office and he confronted Manuel about the meeting. Manuel denied anything nefarious in his face-to-face with Randolph. But Randolph was fired on Monday night and his suspicions about Manuel widened after watching Manuel's introductory press conference to become interim manager, because Manuel was so explicit about the areas in which he would separate himself from Randolph. It is Randolph's burgeoning belief that Manuel might have been pointing to just these areas as a way to knock Randolph and campaign to be his replacement. Speaking before last night's game against the Angels, Manuel confirmed his on-field chat with Bernazard but strongly downplayed it. "There's nothing to that, honestly," Manuel told The Post. "I've always gotten along real well with guys like [Mets assistant GM] John Ricco, guys like Tony Bernazard, Omar [Minaya]. The conversations are always about baseball: What are we doing, where are we going, are we trying different things. I never had any of these meetings secretly. Everyone could always see us talking." Manuel also confirmed that an angry Randolph challenged him about the meeting with Bernazard. "He asked me, and I understood completely, what with the way things have been around here the past few weeks, and with my name out there all the time as his successor," Manuel said. "Heck, I've been through that, not exactly the same way but close enough to where it makes perfect sense why you would be worried about what anyone's saying, whether it's about you or not," Manuel said. Manuel hopes his fired predecessor doesn't hold a grudge over the incident. "I have nothing but the deepest feeling for Willie and his family," Manuel said. "I would hate to think anyone ever thought I would do anything to hurt that man." Bernazard was much less open about the incident than Manuel when approached by The Post on the field before last night's game. "I don't have to answer for these rumors and assaults on my character," Bernazard said, refusing to let a reporter even finish the question. Bernazard then asked a team public relations official to escort the reporter away from him as he returned to the clubhouse. Manuel has made it clear right away Tuesday that he won't be anything like Randolph. That was obvious when he pulled a limping Jose Reyes from Manuel's Mets debut in the first inning and made Reyes quickly apologize for the dugout tantrum that followed. Manuel's first lineup card Tuesday night also was a departure, as he gave third baseman David Wright his first break of the season from fielding duty by having him serve as the Mets' DH. Wright began the day as the only player in the big leagues to have played every inning of every game this year, which was in part a function of Randolph managing for his job and needing his best players in the lineup every day. Manuel is in no such danger, which is why Wright and other prominent Mets can expect to have their roles tinkered. Manuel hinted one of his first moves could be moving Wright to the cleanup spot in place of Beltran on occasion. "We're going to put our players in position to succeed and get the most out of their talents," Manuel said.</blodkquote>

metirish Jun 19 2008 08:08 AM

I wish Willie would just go away.

Centerfield Jun 19 2008 08:12 AM

I felt bad about the way they strung him along and all but he needs to STFU. Not taking the high road may be costing him future opportunities.

TheOldMole Jun 19 2008 08:14 AM

Dealing with adversity is not Willie's strong suit. He has a way of saying things to the press that he shouldn't. I would be really worried if Jerry Manuel hadn't been prepared with his own ideas about running the ballclub. I think Willie needs a slithering henchman.

TheOldMole Jun 19 2008 08:15 AM

Also, it seems as though Willie's bought into all this "Oh, they did it the wrong way" bushwah.

batmagadanleadoff Jun 19 2008 08:18 AM

TheOldMole wrote: Also, it seems as though Willie's bought into all this "Oh, they did it the wrong way" bushwah. Who are you talking about? Willie who?

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jun 19 2008 08:21 AM

I don't see where Randolph is saying anything here; rather, the Post is claiming Randolph's friends are saying that Willie had a "burgeoning" belief that Manuel might wanna undermine him. I mean, that's crazy. Meantime, while I don't doubt Bernazard engages in some backchannel stuff on behalf of Omar, there's some racism in the way this is often discussed, as if all Latin players respond to him the same way, and that only his relationships with other Latin players matter. My question about the firing is this: If Omar says that leaks from the front office created an atmosphere that fortced his hand, could he do us the favor of disciplining the leakee? A Times columnist suggested it was Jeff Wilpon (speaking of Boogeymen), but that's it so far.

AG/DC Jun 19 2008 08:25 AM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Jun 19 2008 08:27 AM

He seems to have a mixed attitude of "They could've done better, but it is what it is." That's not much fuel for the fire coming from Willie. But I don't know any standard where a guy gets it in the middle of a season who gets to address the troops before he leaves. I'm sure he would've liked that, but would other teams have allowed it? I doubt it.

metirish Jun 19 2008 08:25 AM

Good point about Bernazard , does Delgado confide in him I wonder. The Snooze has the front page claiming Willie takes the high road.

bmfc1 Jun 19 2008 08:27 AM

Willie should have been fired after last September. He should have been fired on Memorial Day. If the ownership handled it right, they would have called a press conference after the second game of Sunday's DH and taken care of it before departing for California. If they did that, most people would have said that the Mets did the right thing. Instead, they did it the wrong way so the focus was on how they did it, not what they did and, as a result, Willie looked like the victim instead of the mediocre manager that he was. He's gotten some some sympathy but that doesn't change the fact that the Mets have as many 9th inning comeback wins under Manuel that they had under Randolph (one). It doesn't change the fact that last night there was a life, a spark, to this team that we hadn't seen in quite awhile. Willie's time has passed and he will get millions not to do anything so he should show some class and stop bitching about the people that are still his employers.

AG/DC Jun 19 2008 08:32 AM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Jun 19 2008 08:50 AM

bmfc1 wrote: If the ownership handled it right, they would have called a press conference after the second game of Sunday's DH and taken care of it before departing for California. Maybe, but that's not always possible. If they decided after the DH (and the end of a series is as good a time to decide as any), then they need to get replacements in place and replacments for the replacements and that stuff is hard. He fires them after the double-header, and they start the Angels series with Guy Conti or Pedro Martinez or Dave Racinello marching to the mound to talk to the pitchers. Then they get called disgraceful for that. I shouldn't have titled the thread that way, because I don't think Willie's been that bad. By the way, was Joe Torre in 1981 the model of post-firing class or what?

soupcan Jun 19 2008 08:47 AM

Irrefutable PROOF of Jerry actually trying to stab Willie in the back! Mr. Met with a cig hanging out at MSG made me chuckle.

themetfairy Jun 19 2008 08:58 AM

Centerfield wrote: I felt bad about the way they strung him along and all but he needs to STFU. Not taking the high road may be costing him future opportunities. Agreed. Willie is costing himself the sudden influx of goodwill that came his way in the wake of the firing.